News, sales, stock updates and weird things we like!

Purple is one of the most versatile shades out there when you want to go with an “unnatural” shade. From pretty pastels to jewel-toned deep violets with vivid color that’s the center of attention, purple makes a statement without saying a word. The shades of purple are almost endless. Deep violets can blend beautifully into black hair with peekaboo highlights and lowlights, or you can let purple colors melt into one another for a gorgeous ombre. Whatever you do and no matter what your skin tone, purple hair is sure to get attention.

Making your nails look cool can be hard. Designs that look good on one hand, tend to look a little sketchy on your dominant hand.

You can get them done professionally, sure, but that can get pricy, and when that first chip happens?

So, you’ll be happy to hear that we have some awesome solutions to your bland nail problems!

They’re called Nailed It!, and they’re amazing. Various styles perfect for every day, or cosplay, they’re super easy to apply, they stay on, chip free, for a good long time, and then they’re just as easy to get off!

Perfect for long, and short nails alike, grab ’em before they’re gone!

If you’re like me, you forget to take your pills with you. All. The. Time.

And guess what? If you forget your pills, they DON’T WORK VERY WELL. So, to help combat this huge issue, we’ve just added some ridiculously cute pill boxes to the shop.

How cute are those? They all measure: 2 5/8″ long and 1 3/4″ wide. Inside there are 2 white plastic separate compartment trays that comfortably hold 14 to 16 average sized capsules and keeps your pills safe and sterile. The lid closes nice and tight, yet is easy to open. So, now, when you’re out and about, you can keep one of these bad boys in your pocket and the little lump there will remind you, hey! Take those pills!

As you know, this is a tiny operation. Largely a one-man show, and I, being that man have about 19 other jobs, so Attic stuff (not orders, but social media things) sometimes fall by the wayside. But we’re back with the blog here and figured hey, you might wanna know about our Holiday Schedule.

We will be shipping for the Attic through the Christmas Holiday, so if Santa gives you the bone, and there’s something you REALLY wanted, we’ve got your back.

Come January, we’re taking a BREAK! We’re going to Cali on January 5th to visit the best chick we know, Jenn Rose of Cetonia Designs.

She makes awesome stuff like this!

We’ll be touching insects and going to Disney and Reptile shows and all in all, having a rad time. Pictures to come!

We’ll be back to shipping on January 15th, so if you NEED something from us, and you’ll die without it, your best bet is to put in that order in either before January 4th, or after the 15th.

Seriously, we need a break. It’s too stressful on this planet.

We’ll return shortly with new blog posts, stuff we’re getting in stock, and other such goodies, so stay tuned, kids!

Every so often, I’ll hit up a horror or comic con, and I’ve noticed something odd with the cosplayers of late.

There are a LOT of women dressed up as Negan, from The Walking Dead.

Yeah, that guy. I gotta say, ladies, I’m utterly baffled by this choice. Negan is an unrepentant* asshole and generally an unpleasant guy. He’s just not even a good anti-hero. Freddy Kreuger is a child molesting mass murderer and I’d STILL rather hang out with him at a party than Negan. Leatherface can’t even really TALK and I’d rather have him to tea (some of his family members, I could even have fun with. (I’m lookin’ at you, chop top!))

But, Negan is just alpha male gone rabid. He’s SO GROSS. He’s got this “oh, I respect women, I just like to keep them in a terrified harem of rapeyness” thing going on, and the DESPERATE desire for attention that borders on infantile. He’s the kind of guy that in the days before zombies screamed “bitch, I love you! Fuck you! Why don’t you love me?” He’s a mess.

What is the deal? I don’t see the allure. Honestly, I don’t see the allure of anyone on the show at this point, perhaps it’s just overstayed its welcome. I feel like I can smell Daryl from my couch and Rick has spent approximately 20 minutes over the past TWO SEASONS not completely dripping wet. He’s moldy at this point. Michonne is a brave woman to jump into that particular mildew pool. I’ve lost the ability to care about these people. I’d almost like to see them shoot about 25 years ahead and go on with a Carl side story. Some of the characters would be there, sure, but some wouldn’t anymore, and you could do flashbacks, that I might care about, maybe?That might reinvigorate things, but as it stands, I’m watching because I’ve been watching. I’m throwing good time after bad.

And, you know, by all means, dress up as whomever you like. If you REALLY dig Negan, go for it. I can’t see it, but, hey, that’s what makes the world go round. Just, if you could take a moment, and let me know in the comments, WHAT IS THE DRAW HERE?

*SPOILER ALERT
Even when he REPENTS he doesn’t repent. He’s a whiny bitch.

Historically, this blog has been a place to hawk our various wares, talk about hair, tv, and sometimes even zucchini, but right now, it’s getting hard to be pithy.

We’re spending a lot of time like this.

Honestly, it’s ugly. So what can you do to keep current on what’s going on, and yet, not end up like Bender.

Stay informed, but not overwhelmed.
You want to know what’s going on, but the news of late is like a psychic vampire, sucking your will to live. We get it! Try digesting in bites. Sites like “What the fuck just happened, today?” will give you the daily rundown without weighing you down with so many details you’ll start flailing. It’s important to stay informed, but that doesn’t mean you have to focus to the point of madness. You’re looking for a happy medium here.
Like Mr. McGregor.

Find out what you can do locally
Marching is great (do it peacefully, kids. They’re just ITCHING to call in the national guard, don’t give any reason why that shouldn’t seem wildly overblown) but not everyone can, or even should participate. We all have to do what’s right for ourselves first, and then help take care of everyone else. Put on your OWN oxygen mask first. That said, you’re itching to do SOMETHING, so what can you do? Try these things on for size:

1. Contribute to organizations that will oppose Trump. While groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the Anti-Defamation League, the Sierra Club, and Planned Parenthood, have reported a surge in donations and volunteers, that surge will only last so long. It’s going to take committed, ongoing support to keep these valuable resources available to those most in need. Given the nature of his Cabinet picks, and the scale of the Republican Party’s ambitions in rolling back the welfare and regulatory state, the battle ahead is likely to be long and bitter, waged on local, regional, and national fronts.

2. Support independant journalism. Print is dying, and with it, are the budgets to pay for quality reporting that maks America what it should be. Freedom of the press is ABSOLUTELY VITAL to a free society. So consider subscribing to the publications that are taking a stand for freedom. The New York Times, Washington Post, and magazines like Vanity Fair and, surprisingly, Teen Vogue, are providing excellent journalism and in order to continue that trend, will need support in the form of subscribers.

3. Contact your congressman and senator and tell them to stand up to what the majority of Americans believe in. The U.S. Capitol provides a strong line of defense against the erosion of democracy. As the new Administration continues to propose and attempt to execute a more and more reactionary agenda, it will be up to legislators that are both democrat AND republican to ensure that the president does not use the white house as his personal pocketbook, that weak are not crushed, and that civil rights are not rolled back. Finding your representitive is as easy as entering your zip code.

Try to hold it together.It’s really hard not to wake up yelling and go to sleep crying, we get it, but screaming at our neighbors and cutting off EVERYONE you disagree with on facebook might not be the best way to move forward. Self-care is key. When you need it, take a break from the tv and the internet. Read a book! An educated populace is harder to control. To help you with that, why, we’ve got a giveaway going on through Valentine’s Day RIGHT NOW.Share concepts and ideas with people, instead of just screaming opinions. Find the middle ground and work out from there.

There are more good people than bad. We’re convinced of this no matter how terrible things sometimes seem. Just hang in there. Eat a cupcake, listen to music, plant a garden and wait for it to bloom. We’re stronger than all of this, and we can get through it.

We’re trying to do our part in the resistance by sharing stories, essays and photos from people who attended the Women’s March, or who simply feel strongly about what’s going on in our country right now. Our freak flags don’t mean we have nothing to say. Quite the opposite. This piece by Meggan Wornek.

The Women’s March made history this weekend across the U.S. and the world, as record numbers of men, women, and children of all different backgrounds came together to bring awareness to situations of social injustice. Many people who were opposed to the Women’s March felt it was just a big temper tantrum because “our candidate” didn’t win the presidential election. While that may be true for some, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say most of the people who marched, marched for much more than just Trump. One thing I heard from an anti-marcher really stuck with me, though. Knowing I had been to the March and that I was in earshot they shouted, “HE DIDNT GRAB ANYONE’S PUSSY HE JUST SAID YOU COULD AND THEN THERES THE BIGGEST WOMEN’S MARCH IN THE WORLD.” Now, let me tell you why we marched. Because it’s NOT just locker room talk. It’s encouragement of molestation and rape and “no doesn’t always mean no.” It’s a painful reminder to the 1 in 3 women who have already BEEN raped. I’ll say it again 1 in 3. As in a third of the women I walked alongside didn’t vote for Trump because they don’t want encouragement of a repeat offense. Because they fear that their rapist will get released after 3 months of his 6-month sentence so they haven’t even told their boyfriends or best friends. Because it paints women as less than, not equal too. Because it IS a woman’s right to choose. Just cuz you may not agree with it doesn’t mean you should take the right away from those that have had and needed that option. Because planned parenthood isn’t JUST aborting babies. They’re doing STD testing, diabetes testing, birth control in every form, support, and counseling and so much more. Because immigrants are people in search of a better life, just like our ancestors before us, and they don’t want to be accused of being rapists and terrorists because they grew up different from us. Because we can’t just cut ties with our allies right now. Have you seen how many people have died? Because love is love, and you should be able to marry the person you love if marriage is the way you choose to celebrate that love. And you should be able to adopt a child even if your partner has the same genitalia as you. Because Trump’s either gonna be the worst thing to happen to America in our generation or the fire to start a revolution. And women deserve a place in the revolution. Because feminism needs to be universally intersectional, or it’s not feminism, it’s just more white privilege. Because women from different backgrounds have had to fight even longer and even harder to be able to fight alongside white women in the first place. And we should’ve been united from the beginning. “And if you’re neutral in situations of injustice you’ve taken the side of the oppressor.” The Women’s March may not change things overnight. Hell, they might not even change soon. But if nothing else we opened the platform for discussion. And maybe, someday this discussion that started for many people on January 21, 2017, could help change the world. The Sister March to the Women’s March on Washington I attended was so beautiful it was breathtaking. Everyone was peaceful and talked to each other like we’d known each other for ages. There were discussions from different viewpoints without anger being brought into the mix when viewpoints didn’t mesh. Different races, cultures, ages, political parties and classes marched together. For what felt like the first time in a long time, we came together. And that’s all we asked for.

Amalthea here. Things are rough, kids. I not gonna lie, it’s getting scary out there. Unfortunately, as a spoonie, and just a year out of my transplant, marching isn’t really a physical option right now (erhaps in the future, though, I’ll have to talk to doctors about it.) So, what’s a freaked out gal who’s worried about the state of things, but who can’t march do to help? Well, if you’re me, and you believe that words are the source of all power, then you have a Get Woke Giveaway.

The rules are simple, make sure you follow us on instagram, @amaltheasattic, repost this image and tag a friend with #wakeandresist. Three random winners will receive a copy of either George Orwell’s 1984 or Animal Farm, or Ray Bradbury’s Farenheight 451. Already have a copy? GREAT, for the love of all that is good, give it to a friend who supports the current regime. Don’t have one yet? READ THEM. While these are meant to be both satire and an urgent warning, it seems that currently they are being repurposed as instruction manuals. This is terrifying, so we’re hoping to spread a bit of information to those who so desperately seem to need it.
The winners will be announced on Valentine’s Day, 2017.

There’s no need to purchase anything to win, you don’t even have to be a customer. This isn’t about selling stuff, this is about resisting the easy slide into fascism. As always, we thank you for any support you do offer to small businesses like ours, but for right now, we’d like to focus on your library more than your wardrobe.

I know! You guys thought we’d veered off into politics forever! Nope, just sometimes. The world is scary, and we have feelings about it. But you know what else we have feelings about? YOUR QUESTIONS!

So many questions, mostly about hair dye.

Seriously, the idea of you guys being kept up at night by hair dying questions leaves us cold. So, we’re going to do a bit of a Q&A roundup of all the questions we’ve been getting over the past few (very very busy) months.

Q: Can I apply Manic Panic (or Arctic Fox, or any other similar dye) directly to the scalp?

A: Yes you can, however, you’re going to dye your scalp. This can take a while to wear off depending on the brand you use. We’ve found that Manic Panic and Special Effects seem to dye the scalp for a very long time, while often, Arctic Fox rinses off the skin with the very first wash. This can be different for everyone, depending on the oiliness of the scalp and other variables, so your mileage may vary.

Q: Can I dye my hair when it’s dirty?

A: If you’re using a permanent dye that utilizes a developer, yes! You absolutely can, and it can even protect your hair a bit from drying. If you’re going to be using Arctic Fox, Manic Panic, Special Effects or any other non-developer dye, the short answer is no. The long answer is, read this blog post, and you will be a LOT happier with your results.

Q: Can I just put my hair dye on my hands and rub it all over? Do I HAVE to do it piece by piece?

A: Full disclosure here: Yeah, you totally can, but you have to be REALLY aggressive about getting it all over and you REALLY want to have a spotter for those behind-the-ears and nape-of-the-neck spots. When you call your spotter over, they’re not going to be able to be a passive observer. Rather, remember those lice checks your school nurse did in elementary school? Yeah, they’re going to do it like that. They’ll want to take a pick, or a comb, and move all the hair over on each part of the hair and MAKE SURE you’ve gotten everything. This is MUCH less important if you’re doing a re-dye (no new bleaching.) But if you HAVE done any bleaching, this is really important, or you’ll end up with those high contrast yellow patches that look good on just about no one.

Q: Can I use Arctic Fox (Manic Panic, Special Effects, etc.) on damp hair?Q: How can I make Manic Panic, Arctic Fox, Special Effects, Crazy Colour, etc. last longer?

A: Again, read this post, and you’ll have all the answers you need on those questions!

That’s it for today! If you have any questions you want the answers to, about hair dye, or any other weird stuff you need help with (heck, we’re even pretty good at advice!) Drop us an email, or leave a comment. We hope you’ll check out our shop, visit our Instagram, and all the other fun stuff we’ve got going on!